Chasing the Morning
by INMH
Summary: Prequel to upcoming story, will probably not be completed for a while. 100 drabbles. Mag did not remember a time without him.
1. Witch

Chasing the Morning

Rating: PG-13/T  
Genre: Drama/Friendship  
Summary: Will soon be moved to the Hp Repo crossover section. 100 drabbles. Mag did not remember a time without him.

Author's Note: Yup. This was my planned Mag-Born-Into-HP-verse story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Repo! The Genetic Opera. Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling, and Repo! belongs to Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith.

* * *

Witch

* * *

SORRY. SORRY. FORGOT TO EDIT TO SAVE THE FORMATTING.

* * *

She was almost four.

At that time in a young witch or wizard's life, magic is unpredictable, uncontrollable. She had a good concept of what she was and very little of the concept of keeping it hidden, and so when she started making the flowers by the riverbank dance, she was delighted rather than alarmed and worried.

"_Freak!_" The boys in this neighborhood weren't the nicest, Mag knew that, and so even though she didn't know what a 'freak' was, she hazarded a guess that it wasn't a nice thing to say. But they were big and she was small, and she was worried that if she angered them they'd tell mummy and daddy she'd been playing near the river, where she was never to go alone.

"You're a little _witch_, aren't you Maggie?"

The pebble struck her cheek and stung, and she started to cry. The flowers dropped to the ground and drooped, wilting at her sadness.

"Maggie's a _wi-tch!_ Maggie's a _wi-tch!_ You gonna go fly on your broomstick now, Maggie?" They'd pelted the rocks in earnest then.

"Stop it!" Why were they doing this? Her dad had a broomstick- You were supposed to ride on it. What was the problem with that?

What had she done wrong?


	2. Savior

Savior

* * *

He had already turned five.

All at once, a dark blur slammed into one of the little boys and tackled him to the ground, hitting and clawing at him. The other boys ripped the newcomer off and threw him down, but he jumped up and glared at them.

"You leave her alone!" The boys sneered at the new boy, dressed in worn, overlarge clothing and with greasy black hair.

"What'll you do, Snapey? Cast a spell on us?"

"_I'll do worse if you don't leave her!_"

At that moment, a nearby tree branch almost directly over the boys' heads cracked dangerously, and that was all that was needed to send them running for their mothers. The pelted up the slope back to the road of Spinner's End and disappeared.

The boy stared down at Mag with a frown as she wiped her tears away. "You shouldn't let people see you doing that. It's against the rules." Mag sniffled.

"What rules?"

"Magical rules! You can't let people who _aren't_ wizards see you doing magic!"

"I've never heard of rules like that!"

And so in explaining the fine laws of the magical community as best as a four year-old could, Severus Snape made an immediate friend of Magdalene Dafoe.


	3. Dissimilar

Dissimilar

* * *

Severus was the first to note the differences between their parents.

The first note was simple enough. He'd been invited over for lunch not so long after they'd met, and he and Mag were eating sandwiches at the kitchen table whilst her mother worked on the garden out back.

"Why does your mum talk like that?" This must not have been an altogether unusual question, because Mag swallowed a particularly large bite of peanut butter and jelly and blinked.

"She's 'Talian. She was born in Italy. I was too."

"Then how come you don't talk like that?" Mag seemed to give it some serious thought. Then she shrugged.

"I dunno."

Severus' next observation was one he kept to himself. By the time he was six and Mag was five, he had noticed that Mag's father (her and his parents were flipped: His mum was a witch and his dad a muggle, but Mag's dad was the wizard and her mum the muggle) was a happy person, and always greeted her with a hug and a kiss when he arrived home. And even though he barely knew Severus, he gave his daughter's little friend a warm greeting every time as well.

His dad never even said hello, never mind bothered showing him any affection. Unless you counted affection as the occasional smack on the back of the head.

The next was an observation was Mag's. Still six, and still five.

"Why don't we ever go over to your house to play?"

Severus had been opening his mouth to speak when, true to form, his mother intervened at the worst possible time.

"_Severus! Get your ass in here NOW!_"

Mag never asked again.


	4. Adult

Adult

* * *

As Severus didn't like to stay at his house, and Mag didn't get the feeling that she wanted to go into his house, they often went off into the forest to play with one another. They were warned not to go in too deep, but they did anyway, and were simply very, very careful about not getting caught or hurt so as to reveal their treachery.

"What do you want to do when you grow up, Severus?" Mag inquired as she walked precariously along a log suspended amongst a cluster of trees about seven feet off the ground.

"I don't know. But right now, I want _you_ to get off there before you fall and break your neck!" Even as he said this, he knew it was highly unlikely. Mag was amazingly coordinated, and even if she wasn't, she was a witch; magic would save her.

"No idea? None whatsoever?" Mag pressed. "I want to be a singer. Like mum. She's not very well known, but she's paid for it, and she enjoys it." Severus sniffed. What _would_ he like to be when he was grown? What was his ultimate dream that he'd like to fulfill one day?

"I'd like to get as far away from Spinner's End, no matter what it takes. And _stay_ away for as long as possible."


	5. Home

Home

* * *

At six years-old, Mag had taken for granted the fact that she could sleep soundly in her house knowing that all was well. She was secure in the knowledge that her parents were happy and that she was safe.

Severus was not so secure in that respect.

And so sometimes, at night, sometimes bruised, sometimes bleeding, sometimes shaking, sometimes crying, he would climb up to Mag's room using the drain-pipe, and she'd let him into her room and into her bed, no questions asked. She didn't need to know, he probably wouldn't tell her anyway, and quite frankly: She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Some nights, he wouldn't bother her. He'd go out to the riverbank and lie there for the night, cold and alone. But after a while, she figured it out, and he usually woke up before dawn with her curled up against his side, a blanket draped over them both.


	6. Encounter

Encounter

* * *

That first encounter with Severus and the boys of Spinner's End had not been the last; not by far. Over nearly four years, they'd had their share of skirmishes, more often than not ending in Severus' blood being spilt (He would not accept help from Mag, and he was always outnumbered).

This incident started much like the one that had led to Mag and Severus' friendship. Mag had been waiting for him by the riverbank one sunny afternoon, and the boys interrupted.

"It's the little witch! Waiting for your boyfriend, _witch?_"

Mag had changed. Not so much towards Severus or her parents, but towards anyone but them. She'd learned to adopt a cold look and turn her back on the antagonizing party, uncaring of their taunts. Words couldn't hurt her (and if they did, she wouldn't let them know it).

"They're jealous they can't do magic," Severus had said.

But they slung their rocks just like they had last time, and those could break bones, and just like last time Severus came charging in like an angry bull and rushed to her defense.

"Leave her alone! I mean it! I'll curse you!"

"I'm real scared, Snape!"

"Leave it alone, Sev!" Mag squeaked, "You'll get into trouble if you use magic on them!" She now knew the consequences for magic used on muggles: It was spelled A-Z-K-A-B-A-N.

The ringleader of the boys, named Charlie (he'd recently insisted on being called 'Chuck') pulled out a slingshot.

"If you can make flowers dance, Maggie, let's see you replace Snape's eye when I shoot it out!"

He missed, thankfully, and hit Severus' forehead, merely knocking him down. But Mag shrieked all the same and dropped down beside them, feeling a wave of rage crash over her, wanting to hurt those who'd hurt her best friend, wanted to-

"Is there a problem here, children?"


	7. Bad

Bad

* * *

Mag and Severus both looked up.

Behind the group of boys were three, tall gentlemen; they effectively evened the odds, their three with her and Severus' two making five against the gang of five boys.

The one who'd spoken was tall, dark haired and very handsome. But he was unusually pale, and his eyes were oddly shaped and had a tint of… _Red_ to them?  
Mag shrank back.

Severus watched in awe.

The tallest man leaned down and looked Chuck in the eyes. No one had to wonder if Chuck was scared or not; they could see the dark spot growing on his shorts.

"You are never," The man said softly, "To bother these two again." His gaze flickered briefly to each of the other boys, paralyzed with fear. "Do you understand, little muggles?"

They all nodded as one.

"Now go."

They bolted, whimpering like kicked dogs. The man smiled down at the little wizard and witch.

"Thank you," Severus whispered, standing up and wiping the stream of blood that was trailing down over his eyelid. The man wordlessly produced a wand, touched it to Severus' head and the mark where the rock had hit disappeared, as did the blood. The stranger sighed. His two friends had said nothing during the encounter, and remained silent now.

Mag looped her arm with Severus' and huddled close.

"Such a shame when muggles don't know their place." He let his odd eyes flip between the pair of them, a small smile warping his lips. "You must be Magdalene Dafoe… And Severus Snape."

Both children went tense with surprise. "I am familiar with your mother-" He pointed causally at Severus with his wand. "-And your father." He switched to Mag. He gave them an eerie smile. "I shall be interested to see how you both progress in school." He motioned to his men, and then they disappeared.

Mag and Severus exchanged slow, solemn looks.

"I don't think we should tell our parents about this." Mag whispered. Severus nodded.

"No way."


	8. One

One

* * *

"Come now, Sev, it wasn't that bad."

They'd noticed her before, seen her around the better part of town when they'd bothered to venture that far. She was pretty, Severus' age, with long red hair and big green eyes, very nice person. Her sister was not so nice, and had humiliated them in front of her little sister, saying that they were from '_Spinner's End_' as though she'd been saying they'd lived in the mouth of Hell itself.

But Severus was depressed that Lily, the little redhead, hadn't taken so well to being called a witch.

"If she wants to go and hang out with that mean big sister of hers, then it's no skin off our noses, hm?"

But Severus felt funny.

When he saw Lily, he felt funny. He felt happy when he looked at her, happy at her bright energy and her life. Something funny tingled inside him when he saw her, something that made him feel inexplicably happy.

Mag wouldn't understand.


	9. Three

Three

* * *

Maybe it was a girl thing, but Mag was less happy than Severus when Lily found them by the river one day.

"Did you come to make fun of us, like your sister?" She asked scathingly, glaring daggers at the older girl. To Mag's surprise, Lily looked chagrined.

"I came to ask why you called me a witch."

Before Severus could answer, Mag did. "He called you a witch because you _are_ one! We are too! It's certainly not an insult!" Mag had been insulted when Lily had reacted as though being called a witch was a bad thing. Being raised primarily in the wizard-spectrum of half-blood life, Mag had been shielded from stories where witches and wizards were the bad guys.

Lily's eyes narrowed, and her hands went to her hips. "Well, how was I supposed to know? No one's ever called me a witch before!" Mag's head had cocked at this.

"Never? But how long have you been able to do-" She glanced around the glade anxiously and lowered her voice. "-_magic?_"

Lily's eyes widened again, and she wrung her hands nervously. "I didn't know I was doing magic. I thought it was just… A talent." Mag blinked.

"Just talent?"

"When did _you_ figure out you were a witch?"

"I didn't _have_ to figure it out; for the longest time, I thought most people were witches and wizards and that the ones that _didn't_ have magic were the unusual ones!"

"So your parents are wizards? What's that like?"

And without having to say a word on his part, Severus got his wish:

Lily was one of them.

* * *

FFFF, IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE UPDATED THIS. WOW. And I have so many chapters already done.

To answer your question, my solitary reviewer: This is AU, so Mag isn't blind... YET? (DUN DUN DUN?)


	10. Jealousy

Jealousy

* * *

"I can't _believe_ it!"

Severus' eyes were wide as he scanned the letter. Lily twisted a little uncomfortably.

"You shouldn't be reading that. It's Tuney's letter."

"But I can't believe it! I had no idea that muggles could get into contact with Hogwarts!" He said in bewilderment.

"Put it down," Mag scolded gently. "If Petunia walks in and sees you reading it, you'll get it good. She's been in a right mood lately." She glanced around the very clean and large house of the Evans family and tried to suck herself in so as not to touch anything. "We'll get it good if she finds us in her house anyway."

Lily sniffed. "This is my house too, and you two are my friends. I don't care what Tuney says." She looked sadly at Mag. "She's not as bad as she seems." Mag's eyes reflected a hurt that made Severus' stomach clench unpleasantly.

"Not to you. To her, Severus and I are just a couple of filthy _tramps_." She snuffled a little and looked away. Severus knew that, in particular, Mag was sensitive to being insulted by muggles. She hated being called a freak for being something that she had had no choice in being. He tried to change the subject.

"They must have wizards working secretly in muggle post offices," He whispered. "Just in case muggleborns try to send answers through muggle post rather than owl." Lily sighed dreamily.

"I would love an owl." She murmured. Then she straightened up. "What did Dumbledore say in response?" Severus scanned the letter and then snorted.

"I think I know why your sister's been so angry lately."


	11. Away

Away

* * *

Mag had both looked forward to this moment and dreaded it.

"It won't be that bad! We'll only be gone for a year!" Lily knelt before Mag, who was sitting on an old log near the river and clasped her hands excitedly. "And next year, _you get to come with us!_"

Mag shrugged despondently. "I wish I were older. You two are my only friends. I'm certainly not going to ask Petunia for a round of hide and seek while you're gone, and my parents will probably try to set me up on a play-date with Luigi and Pavi." She made a face.

"They can't be as bad as you've said." Severus tried. Mag snorted.

"You've never met the little beasts! All right- Pavi's not that bad, he's only two, but Luigi's got such a _temper!_ He nearly cracked my head open with a croquet mallet the last time I visited him!" Lily and Severus exchanged alarmed looks.

"How old _is_ he?" Mag glared at them.

"_Five_."

Severus and Lily were now more sympathetic.

"We're going to send you anything we can from Hogwarts. And come next summer, we're not leaving your side for a _moment_." Severus said.

"We'll come back for Christmas!" Lily said.

Later on, Mag assured Severus as they walked home that he didn't have to come home for Christmas if he didn't want to.

"Why not?"

"Lily and I like it at home. You don't. You deserve to get away from it as long as humanly possible."


	12. Year

Year

* * *

A year with only letters from Lily and Severus, plus Lily's Christmas visit, was agony for Mag.

The only benefit to not having Lily and Severus around was that she did not go anywhere near the Evans household, meaning that she had no contact with Petunia Evans whatsoever, and she was fine with that.

Her mother went on tutoring her in basic arithmetic, spelling, penmanship and, of course, Italian. Mag could speak it almost enough to keep up a conversation now, even with proper grammar.

As she'd feared, her parents misread her behavior for loneliness for other children in general and set her up with Luigi and Pavi Largo. She tried not to be angry at them, constantly reminding herself to be thankful that they loved her and wanted her to be happy (unlike Severus' parents who could have cared less about him).

Unfortunately, Luigi didn't make it easy.

"THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT COLOR CRAYON!" He bellowed, picking up the old glass mug that the crayons had been and hurtling it at her head. Mag gasped and only just managed to duck, the mug shattering on the wall behind her and the shards falling onto her back and in her hair.

Was the school term over yet? 


	13. Return

Return

* * *

Mag waited impatiently on the steps of her house, legs jumping.

Any minute now.

Any minute.

Any-

_Yes!_

Mag leapt off the steps and charged down the street when she saw Lily and Severus pelting towards her as well. "Mag!" Lily squealed, scooping the younger girl into a hug and lifting her off the ground for a moment. When she was released, Mag threw her arms around Severus' neck and found his shoulders higher up than before; he'd grown.

Severus' hug was a little awkward, probably because he'd gone without one for a while. He and Lily weren't as touchy-feely as he and Mag were; he'd been with Mag longer, been the big brother to her little sister.

"I'm in Gryffindor! Sev's in Slytherin!" Lily panted as she tried to catch her breath. Mag saw the disappointment register dimly on Severus' face as Lily related this (Even though it had already been iterated to her via post some months ago). Mag had noticed, to some extent, the funny way Severus acted around Lily. She assumed that this was simply, however, disappointment that Lily had not been together with him.

"We got to ride in boats to the school, and the Great Hall is- It's- I can't _wait_ until next year, Mag, we're going to have so much fun!"

Mag grinned. "I can't wait. So tell me about this Dumbledore fellow: Is he as delightfully mad as I've heard?"


	14. Pain

Pain

* * *

"Mag!"

Mag's eyes flipped open sharply, and she sat up in bed. The clock read midnight. Had she heard someone say her name? Or had she simply been dozing?

"_Mag!_"

Mag leapt out of bed and dashed to the window, sticking her head out and looking down.

"Oh, _Severus!_"

Never before had she been quite so thankful to have loving parents: A father that would never lay a hand in harm on her, and a mother who would have murdered him if he ever did.

Severus didn't have that.

She went downstairs- her parents were asleep- and pulled him inside and up into her bedroom before tiptoeing to the bathroom and getting some bandages. He'd been in too much agony to climb the pipe tonight.

Tobias Snape had done a number on his son before, but this was a new level of beating: Severus had a black eye, and his right cheek was a mottled puddle of black, blue, red and maroon. He had cuts on his hands and wrists where, according to him, his father had grabbed him and his nails had scratched.

He barely whimpered as eleven year-old Mag tried to do her best for first-aid. He bit his lip and did his best not to quiver, not to shake and cry, because that would mean his old man had broken him and he would be _damned_ if that happened.


End file.
